Fire in the Dark
by skydancerstormy
Summary: When present turns to future, and past turns to present. When two souls, separated by evil conjuring, meet again in times of war and dragons. When ice meets fire again - and darkness turns to light. Destiny will play its game again.
1. Chapter 1

"Nelli, wake up."

She jolted awake and stared at the young woman who had just shook her awake. "Shiloh, what's wrong?" Nellisane sat up and looked at her friend expectantly. If there was one thing she did not like it was being woken up for no good reason.

"I...I think I saw something. In the sky."

Shiloh was a young Breton in her early twenties, a hunter and good friend of Nelli. They had met just a few months ago while both hunted the same stag in the woods and instead of becoming rivals they ended up as a team, both getting their share of the hunt. Despite the age difference of thirteen years they grew close quite quickly.

"What did you see?" She yawned, got up and stalked over to the hearth. She filled a cup with hot herbal tea which was brewing over the fire. "Wants some?" She offered but shrugged as Shiloh shook her head.

"I thought it was a dark cloud. But it moved. Quite fast."

"Clouds tend to do that sometimes." Nelli sipped her tea, leaning against the windowframe and looked outside. "Sky looks perfectly fine to me."

Shiloh looked at her boots, shifting a bit. "I think it was a dragon."

Nelli blinked and turned towards her again. "Dragon? Dragons don't exist anymore, Shi. They're all gone for centuries. Are you sure it wasn't just a flock of birds or..."

She fell silent as a loud roar cut through the silence outside. The two women shared a concerned look. "Still think those are birds?" Shiloh said and went to open the door, but Nelli grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.

"No! Wait, look!" She pointed out of the window towards the mountains across the river, the ruins of Bleak Falls Barrow looming eerily out of the mist. A huge, black shape glided through the clear blue sky. Its wings spread wide as it roared again. Finally, the beast vanished behind the mountains.

Nelli just stared outside for a moment, unable to find the right words. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through her hair and she snapped out of her daze as she realized that the door was open. She groaned, grabbed her daggers and followed Shiloh.

"How can that be?" Shi said. "I thought dragons are gone. Forever."

"Your guess is as good as mine. We saw where it vanished, but where did it come from?" She wondered and hurried up the path to the road that was leading to Riverwood the north and Helgen in the south. Her eyes grew wide as she spotted the dark clouds of smoke rising in the distance.

"Helgen. It must have attacked Helgen."

"Maybe there are survivors? We have to go and check on them." Shiloh said.

"I will go."

"But..."

Nelli looked at her sternly. "I want you to go to Riverwood. Warn them. We cannot be sure if the dragon is really gone. If it comes back they need to be prepared. They cannot defend themselves but they can seek shelter."

Shiloh nodded and hurried back to the cabin with her. They both packed their bags with some supplies. Nelli grabbed a few bottles of healing potion just in case she might find survivors. She shouldered her bag and hugged Shiloh.

"Be careful." She said.

"You too, Nelli." She replied and shouldered her bag as well. They waved goodbye and for a moment Nelli just looked after her friend until she turned to the opposite direction and sighed. Finally, she headed up along the winding road that would eventuallly lead her to the Imperial town.

* * *

The smell of burned flesh stung in her nose as she arrived in front of the gates to Helgen. The smoke darkened the sky and the silence that lay upon this normally lively town was heavy. Nelli walked through the gate and gasped as she saw the destruction before her. Houses collapsed, some still burning. Corpses lay scattered across the main yard.

"Hello?" She called and turned in all directions. "Is anyone alive?"

She received no answer much to her dismay. She crossed the yard towards the stone towers. She tried her luck at the door but it wouldn't open. "Damn." She muttered and looked around again. She squinted her eyes as she spotted something red lying next to a corpse near the town's wall. She hurried over and picked the book up. It was a journal bound in red-leather. She moved over to the steps leading to the tower and sat down, flipping it open. There was no name inside, yet a few short entries. Curiously, she began to read in hopes to find some answers.

 _"Hard to believe I filled up that whole journal already. I never realized how much of Cyrodiil I hadn't seen yet! So much diversity, yet so much destruction from the Great War. A lot of history has been lost here forever. The expedition is ending soon and everyone will be returning home. I have one last task to perform before I do the same. I'll send the other journal ahead with my supplies and the artifacts we recovered."_

She flipped the page and continued with the second entry.

" _I've received words from my contacts in Skyrim. All seem quiet for now. Probably for the first time since High King Torygg was killed. I should be able to make the crossing quietly enough during the night. So long as there are no Imperial patrols to deal with."_

Nelli lowered the journal for a second, then shook her head as she continued with the third entry.

" _So much for being discreet! I crossed the border near a small village called Helgen and made my way up to Darkwater Crossing. Unfortunately I can't get back to my camp now because the area has filled with Imperial patrols! It seems they are searching for someone. Someone very important. If I'm not mistaken, someone they intend to ambush here. This could be the very thing I am seeking here in Skyrim, but crossing the border in the dead of night without passing through the checkpoints has turned out to be a very bad plan."_

She flipped the page again and continued.

 _"I woke early this morning with an Imperial sword pressed to my neck. A patrol found me camped under a rock outcropping on the edge of the volcanic marshes. I guess I wasn't as well hidden as I thought. I have no idea where they're taking us, but I've been stuffed into the back of a rickety old cart being pulled by an even more rickety looking old nag. At least they let me keep my journal for now."_

Finally, she reached the fifth and last entry. Bracing herself she sighed and read on.

" _Shor's bones, if only I had known sooner! The ambush, the captives in the cart with me. Stormcloak rebels! Led by none other than Ulfric Stormcloak himself! There's no time to explain properly. I scarcely believe it myself. If it hadn't been for the dragon, I'd not even be here to write this down. Yes, a dragon! Big, black, as large as the towers of the keep itself. It swooped in out of nowhere and laid waste to the village and the keep._

 _"General Tullius didn't take my head today, or the heads of several Stormcloak rebels, but that doesn't matter now. Hadvar and Ralof set aside their differences to help the survivors. They went into the lower keep hours ago. Something about caves with a back entrance. I don't think they're coming back. I'll have to see if I can get out of the city and down to Riverwood. Someone needs to warn them! This building won't remain standing for much longer._

 _"I still can't believe it. A dragon. Straight out of the legends! Nobody back home will ever believe me."_

For a moment Nelli forgot her surroundings, the smell and the fact that a dragon was still on the loose. The tips of her fingers brushed over the written name. Ulfric Stormcloak.

"You're...alive?" She whispered as if asking him and not just herself. Her eyes flicked up and she stuffed the journal into her bag and pushed herself up. She knew the cave the writer had mentioned. Quickly she ran out of the town's gate and climbed over stones and slipped on patches of ice as she headed down the path that finally ended at the entrance of a dark cave. Its dark mouth loomed before her. Her heartbeat slowed down a little. Ever since that fateful day she didn't like darkness. But she couldn't let her fear hold her back. She had to check if there were still any survivors in the cave. Taking a deep breath she unsheathed her daggers and entered the cave. It was indeed dimly lit, the air was moist and the ground rather slick. She reached the main part of the cave and looked around.

"Hello?" She called, her voice echoed from the walls. As the echo died down she heard some shuffling nearby. "Is anyone in here?" She said and inched further inside.

"Over h-here..." A voice croaked not far ahead.

Nelli hurried over as she spotted a blond man lying on the ground, clutching his stomach. She knelt down. "Are you injured?"

"Just..." He coughed and looked at her. "Just a bruised rib."

She set her bag down and rummaged through it, uncorked the bottle and handed it over. "Drink it. It's a healing potion. It will take the pain and give you some strength again."

He reached for it and gulped it down in one go. He sighed contently as the warmth filled his body and the pain indeed vanished almost immediately. She took the empty bottle and put it back into her bag.

"Can you walk?" She asked and offered him her hand. He took it and slowly got up.

"Thanks. I'm Ralof. Who are you? You weren't in Helgen when the dragon attacked."

She shook her head. "No, I wasn't but I saw the dragon. I live not far down by the river. My friend already went to Riverwood to warn them and I came here to check if there are any survivors. Unfortunately, I only found you."

"And I'm glad I'm still in one piece. Let's get out of here."

Together they left the cave. Sunlight hit their faces as they stepped outside. Nelli turned to him.

"What's your plan now?"

"I'm going to Riverwood first. My sister, Gerdur, owns the lumber mill. I might lay low for a few days. Can't risk being seen on the road while the Imperials might still be swarming the area."

While they walked down the road they lapsed into silence for a while until they reached the bending which would lead her back to her cabin. She wondered if Shiloh had returned yet. She looked at Ralof and saw him look at her intently.

"Before we part ways..." She began and cleared her throat. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing."

"Is it true that...Ulfric Stormcloak was with you?"

"Aye, that is true. He made it out alive as far as I can tell. Once the situation has cooled down a bit I will return to Windhelm. You should do the same if you want to join the rebellion."

Nelli tilted her head. "I will think about it. Farewell for now, Ralof." She smiled lightly.

"Farewell, stranger." He winked, aware that she hadn't given him her name. Yet, he knew once he'd return to Windhelm he'd tell Ulfric about the mysterious woman that saved his life. The woman with eyes like two balls of fire.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! If you did, please leave a review :) Favs and follows are also highly appreciated, of course! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Nelli and Shiloh arrived in Whiterun in the early morning hours. After Nelli had returned from Helgen they had decided to go to the city together. They had stayed at the Sleeping Giant Inn for the night and left before the break of dawn.

As they walked up the steps leading to the palace Shiloh finally broke the silence.

„Alright, tell me."

Nelli looked at her. „Tell you what?"

„You've been eerily quiet since you returned from Helgen. What is it? Is it about the things you've seen there or..." A mischievous twinkle appeared in her eyes and Nelli didn't like that at all. It meant something silly would follow. „Is it about that cute soldier you've rescued? Ralof?"

She huffed. „No, it's not about him. Not…not really. It's about the things he said."

They stopped in front of the big double doors of the palace.

„What things?"

„Things I didn't know and things that turned out to be entirely different from what I thought."

„As always you speak in riddles. What things do you mean exactly?"

Nelli opened her mouth but closed it again as she felt the eyes of the guards watching them curiously. She shook her head at Shiloh.

„Not here. Not now. There are other matters we have to deal with now." She pushed the doors open and they were immediately greeted by a very comforting warmth emanating from the firepit in the middle of the hall framed by two long tables. As they walked up the flight of stairs they spotted the throne.

As they approached they were suddenly stopped by a Dunmer woman clad in leather armor. With her blade drawn and the stern look on her face it was clear that she thought of them as intruders.

„I don't care who you are, the jarl won't have visitors now."

„He should hear us out though unless he wants the blood of innocent people on his hands in case that the Dragon returns and destroys Riverwood the same way he destroyed Helgen."

The she-elf eyed Nelli suspiciously for a second. „You were in Helgen?"

„I was and I'm sure the jarl won't like it if you turn us away with such valueable information."

Nelli saw the defeat in the mer's eyes and relaxed as the woman sheathed her sword and made an inviting motion to follow her. She went to the jarl and whispered something to him while Nelli and Shiloh stepped closer.

„My housecarl informed me that you two were in Helgen and have seen the dragon with your own eyes?"

„No, I mean yes we both have seen the dragon but only I have been to Helgen while my friend here went to warn Riverwood. I went to Helgen to see what happened and if there were any survivors."

Jarl Balgruuf leaned back and sighed, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. „And? Did you find anyone?"

„No she didn't." Shiloh suddenly piped up.

Nelli looked from her friend to the jarl and nodded slowly. „It's true. All I found was ash and dust. And many burned bodies but no survivors."

She wondered why Shiloh made her lie but this wasn't the time nor place to inquire about it.

„By Ysmir, Irileth." He looked at the Dunmer. „Make haste and gather a troop. Send them to Riverwood immediately. Only the Gods know when the dragon will return."

Irileth nodded and hurried away. The jarl spoke again as he sat up straight. „You have done us a great service by seeking me out on your own initiative. I won't forget that." He then motioned his steward to step closer and before they knew it he dropped a bag of coins in their palms.

„Take this as a small token of my esteem." Balgruuf said.

Nelli put the small bag into her pocket. There were at least 30 septims in it.

„Thank you, Jarl Balgruuf, though we've only done what was right."

He shook his head. „In these difficult times you won't find many who care about their brothers and sisters. You might have saved the lives of many by coming here."

„No problem." Shiloh said. She was still amazed by the gold. It's been a while since she last had some money on her and she surely had no idea how to properly behave in front of a jarl or an authority in general.

„If that's all we'll take our leave then." Nelli said and turned away, Shiloh followed her. Just as they had reached the steps they heard the Jarl again.

„There is another thing you could do for me."

* * *

A gust of icy wind swept through the throne room of the palace of the kings as the door was pushed open. A week had passed since the incident at Helgen and finally Ralof had made it back to Windhelm. He heard Ulfric and Galmar arguing in the war room and hurried across he hall and into the room.

The two men stopped arguing upon his entrance as they both looked up. A relieved smile curled the jarl's lips as he saw one of his best soldiers well and alive.

"Ralof, I feared you mightn't have made it." He said.

Ralof snatched a bottle of beer from the table that was pushed against the wall and took a long sip.

"I wouldn't be here if not for the mystery woman." He replied.

"Mystery woman? What's that supposed to mean?" Galmar asked confused.

"I escaped through the dungeon but broke down from exhaustion in a cave. I could feel the exit was close but my body betrayed me. I actually thought I would die until I heard the voice of a woman. She called asking if there were any survivors and finally she found me."

"She helped you get out and back home?" Ulfric leaned against the wall.

Ralof shook his head. "Not exactly. We parted ways halfway between Helgen and Riverwood. I think she lived in a cabin by the river."

"And what exactly is so mysterious about that woman?" Galmar asked while Ulfric pushed away from the wall and headed over towards the door leading back into the throne room.

"She didn't tell me her name. Even after I asked she pretended not to have heard the question. I didn't ask much further, thought she might have her reasons not to reveal her name. But something else caught my attention much more."

"Spit it out already." Galmar grumbled.

"Her eyes. They were like...fire. Yes, burning like the sun."

Ulfric stopped by the door and slowly turned around. "What?"

"You mean like those vampires?" Galmar asked.

"No! I mean it how I said. Her eyes were like two suns, like a fire in the dark."

Ulfric stepped towards him, a spark twinkling in his storm-grey eyes.

"I want you to find her, Ralof. I..." He hesitated. "I'd like to thank her for the good deed of saving your life."

He turned on his heel and left the war room towards the throne hall. As he sunk into the throne images started flashing in front of his inner eye.

 _Him as a child chasing the girl across the courtyard of the palace, throwing snowballs at each other. Her laughter filled the air like a choir of angels as she tackled him to the ground, both rolling through the snow for a moment til she finally pinned him down with a cheeky grin. He saw her breath in the cold evening air."Gotcha." She chuckled, her eyes shimmering like a roaring fire in the light of the brazier nearby._

 _They were just kids when they fell in love, not knowing what it was._

He snapped back to reality as Galmar approached him again yet he didn't pay much attention to him. He wondered if Ralof's mystery woman was her. The woman he'd been waiting for all those years. Never given up the hope of seeing her again.

He closed his eyes and smiled to himself.

 _Is it really you, Nelli?_


	3. Chapter 3

"I still can't believe you agreed to that." Shiloh said as Nelli returned to their table at the Bannered Mare with two bottles of Honeybrew mead.

"Don't you want to know what's going on with the dragons?" She asked and sipped from her drink.

"Dragons? Nelli, that was _one_ dragon. Most likely it's gone for good now."

"There's more to it, I can feel it in my bones."

"Your bones are telling you that there are more dragons to come?"

Nelli shrugged. "Bones, heart, soul, how would I know what it is. All I know is that I can feel there are more."

"The only strange thing about this dragon was the timing. You heard the news. Ulfric Stormcloak was about to be executed and out of nowhere a dragon appears after hundreds or whatever how long years and helps him and his men to escape?"

"Did you know Ulfric was alive?" She suddenly asked. "When I...left...the last thing I heard was that he had been imprisoned by the Thalmor and had been killed. He must've been in his late 20s then."

Shiloh shook her head. "I knew he lived. He was imprisoned though, that's true. Then he was set free and he returned to Windhelm to take his place as jarl. After his father died. He started his rebellion ever since, but it just recently began to climax."

"How come you know these things?"

"Maybe because I wasn't trapped in time and read a lot of books when I was a kid." She said amused. "There's a book about him called The Bear of Markath. You should read it if you're that interested in him. How come you are interested in Ulfric Stormcloak anyway?"

Nelli remained silent for a moment while she downed her drink. "Maybe you tell me why I lied to Balgruuf about Ralof?" She clearly avoided the question.

"Because the jarl hasn't decided yet which side he's supporting in the war. It's better to keep information like these away from him. I spoke to Ralof too in Riverwood before you joined me there. He's a high ranked soldier. If the Imperials try to lure the jarl on their side it's best they remain clueless too. About the casualties on the Stormcloak side."

"Makes sense. I had no idea."

"That's why I helped you."

"Which side are you leaning to?" Nelli asked curiously.

"If I'd have to choose I'm with the Stormcloaks. My parents were devoted worshippers of Talos before they were killed for their belief. The Imperials are the puppets of the Thalmor. They killed my parents for believing in a so called false God. Talos is what makes us Nords who we are. He gives us strength and faith to believe in ourselves. No one has the right to tell other people what they should believe. If you believe in Talos, Mara or Kynareth or...yes, or even if you believe in the Daedra...as long as you're a peaceful being and don't hurt other people in the name of your God then no one has the right to forbid it."

Nelli reached for Shiloh's hand and squeezed it gently. "It's awful what happened to your parents. I know how that feels."

Shiloh looked at her with a tired smile. "I'm glad I have you in my life now, Nelli. You're like...the big sister I never had."

She pulled her into an embrace for a moment. Shiloh smiled contently.

"Ready for the treasure hunt?" Nelli asked as they broke the embrace.

Shiloh emptied her bottle of mead and bumped it on the table. "Ready as one can ever be."

* * *

"Forget what I said!" Shiloh squeaked as the draugr dropped dead to the ground in front of her after Nelli had sliced its throat. "I was _not_ ready for this." The young girl panted.

"I thought you read a lot. These Nord tombs are full of the walking dead."

"Guess what? I always thought it's been just scary stories to prevent kids from going inside."

"You don't have to come with me, Shi."

"Oh, trust me, I do." She bend down and picked up the old Nord sword, weighing it in her hand. "Just needed this."

Together they fought their way through more draugr and even a huge spider just to now chase down a bandit who, after they successfully defeated the spider and cut him down from its web, took off with the golden claw Farengar - the court wizard of Whiterun - had mentioned.

"I have enough of this." Nelli grumbled and threw her dagger at the man, impaling his leg. He yelped and stumbled right against another draugr. The creature growled as it looked down at the man.

"N-no...please..." He whimpered and screamed as the draugr ripped his head from his shoulders, tossing it to the girls feet. Shiloh felt sick and turned away but Nelli prepared again to battle the creature. But luck was on their side this time as the draugr stepped onto a plate on the ground, activating a mechanism and before they knew it a spiked door swung forward and impaled the creature, killing it instantly.

Nelli lowered her sword and put her hand on Shiloh's back. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, just...I just need a moment."

Then Nelli walked over to the decapitated body and reached for the satchel. She found the golden claw. For a moment it felt like the claw was faintly vibrating in her hand. She shook her head and pushed it into her own satchel.

"Let's go, I want to get over with this as quick as possible." She said, and they ventured deeper and deeper into the dungeon until they finally stood in front of a door with three moveable ring plates.

"Soooo...what now?" Shiloh asked while she inspected the carvings. "These holes could match with the claw, I guess. Let's see."

Nelli took the claw from her satchel. "These marks on the door are also on the claw. Look..." She handed the claw to Shiloh. "There's a bear, a moth and an owl."

She pushed the plates until the right symbols were aligned with those on the claw. Shiloh then stepped closer and put the claw into the middle. A heartbeat of silence surrounded them until they heard a clicking sound and slowly the door began to slide down.

"We're the best." Shi laughed and hurried up the steps. Nelli took the claw and followed her. The further they came the louder was the humming in Nelli's head.

"What is that? Can you hear them too?"

Shi looked at her confused. "Hear who?"

"The voices. Like...like chanting. And the hum. It's loud, you must hear it too."

She shook her head. "I really don't hear anything. It's dead silent except the faint sound of water flowing somewhere. You sure you're alright?"

"I don't know." She muttered and looked up as a flock of bats flew overhead as they stepped into a moist and dimly lit cave. The humming and chanting was almost unbearable in here. Nelli squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and opened them again only to realize it didn't vanish. It was still there. Loud. Calling for her. Drawing her closer. Almost like in trance she walked up the stairs leading to a huge wall. Carvings with strange symbols were all over it but one seemed to pulse the closer she came, a faint blue light shimmered.

" _Fus_... _Fus_... _Fus_..." It chanted louder and louder. Nelli pressed her hands on her ears, her mouth opened to a silent scream as a strange warmth streamed into her.

 _Force_!

She dropped on her knees and panted heavily. The humming and chanting was gone, the symbol didn't glow anymore and all she felt was Shiloh shaking her.

"Nelli! Nelli, get up!"

She sensed the panic in her voice and looked over her shoulder. The coffin broke open and a draugr much taller than the others before rose from its grave, laughing a deep guttural laughter. Nelli pushed herself up and unsheathed her sword. Her knees felt a bit weak, but she forced herself to remain calm.

"You go left, I go right! Now!" She said and the girls split up, approaching the overlord from both sides. Nelli's sword clashed against the hilt of his battle-ax but Shiloh managed to slice his arm a little but to no much effect. The draugr pushed Nelli away and swung the axe at Shiloh. She dodged and rolled out of the way.

"I went through hell, I'm not afraid of you!" Nelli yelled at the creature. It laughed and inhaled, shouting at her.

" _Fus Roh Da_!"

But Nelli stood her ground as the strange force hit her, making her stumble back just a little. The overlord tilted his head clearly surprised. Nelli grinned at him.

"Surprise." She said and roared as she swung her sword, slicing his head off with a swift motion. The draugr dropped to the ground.

"What did just happen here?" Shiloh asked as she limped over. Her leg hurt a little after she had to roll away but it wasn't broken.

Nelli panted and leaned on her sword. "I have no idea. This thing shouted at me and it seemed to be surprised that it didn't affect me at all."

"Nelli, you nearly had a breakdown in front of that strange wall. What was that?"

"I don't know!" She snapped and sighed as she saw the expression on her friend's face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. I still have to wrap my head around these strange events today." She leaned down and picked up a stone tablet.

"Is that it?" Shi asked curiously and stepped closer while Nelli inspected it.

"I think so." She pushed the tablet into her satchel.

"Great, then let's get out of here. I have enough of these tombs for a long time now."

She followed Shiloh upstairs but cast a glance over her shoulder one last time towards the wall before she finally left with her.


	4. Chapter 4

"Will you ever tell me what happened back in that cave?" Shiloh asked as they entered Whiterun in the late evening hours. They both felt every muscle in their body tensed to breaking point from all the fighting, especially the last draugr who seemed to have been so very different than the others before. He had tried to use some kind of shouting spell on Nelli and much to the beasts surprise it had little to no effect on her.

"There's nothing much to tell. I don't know what happened there."

"Nelli, you nearly had a mental breakdown in front of that strange wall with those carvings."

She sighed. "I heard voices in my head. Coming from all directions, like a chant. It grew louder and louder, and that one particular…word…was glowing more and more until…until it all stopped."

They stopped under the Gildergreen tree in the center of the Cloud District. The place was illuminated by the fire burning in the braziers. Shiloh turned towards her.

"What do you mean a word was glowing?"

"Haven't you seen the blue light?" She asked surprised.

Slowly, she shook her head. "There was no light, Nelli. And no voices. At least, I couldn't hear nor see any of these things. What I saw was that you stood in front of that wall, hands pressed on your ears, mouth opened to a silent scream. Well, you know the rest…that beast attacked."

Nelli sat down on the bench under the tree, Shiloh sat beside her. She didn't feel like going up to the palace yet. Even though the stone in her satchel was heavy, but she had a strange feeling in her gut telling her that once she handed over this stone tablet the mysteries would just really begin. And she wasn't certain if she was ready to face whatever the Gods were throwing at her.

"Nelli? You heard me?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her friend. "Mh? What?"

"I asked what we should do now? Up to the palace or stay at the inn for tonight?"

"It's late. We should wait til morning. Let's go get some rest first."

Together they returned to the Bannered Mare. With the help of the gold they had received from the Jarl they had been able to pay for a whole week to share a room. Nelli ordered a bottle of wine and they went upstairs to their room where they both first got rid of their sweaty clothes and changed into something more comfortable.

"First thing before we head out to the palace tomorrow is taking a hot bath." Shiloh said as she put on her shirt and pants. Nelli stripped out of her clothes too and put on a new pair of pants but decided to keep the shirt off and just stay in her bra.

She poured two cups of wine and sat on the bed next to Shiloh, leaning her back against the wall and sipped the wine, enjoying every drop of its fruity flavor.

"Do you remember the day we met?" She suddenly said.

"Sure do, it's not _that_ long ago. Why do you ask?" Shiloh looked at her curiously.

"I just wondered…why did I end up here? I mean…why now? This year?"

"Do you really think there's a bigger meaning behind it?"

She shrugged and downed more wine. "I don't know, but…it might? The man who did these things to me when I was younger…he always spoke of the End Times. And that only those with the blood of the Elder could safe the world from complete destruction."

For a moment none of them spoke until Shiloh broke the silence.

"Do you…want to talk about it? The things that happened?"

"No, I'd rather not. At least, not now."

"Alright, that's fine." She kissed Nelli's cheek and lowered down, pulling the blanket over her. "I know it might sound silly but…can you tell me a story? I need to distract myself a bit from the events today."

Nelli shifted and laid down too. "A story, huh? Let me think. Oh, there's one my…my mother told me when I was little."

"What's it called?"

She stared at the ceiling with a melancholic expression.

"The Dragon and the Maiden Fair."

* * *

 _'There once was a maiden with hair of gold and face so fair that every young man came to ask for her. But no man – no matter if knight, lord or prince – could win her heart._

 _One day she wandered through the Great Forest, alone and unarmed for she had faith in the Gods above. Yet it seemed the Gods had slept on that day for a boar as big as a bull rushed towards her. She screamed, and she ran, her heart pounding fast and just as she thought she was safe she stumbled and landed face first in the grass. The beast huffed and puffed, growling at her. She closed her eyes and prayed for someone to come and help her._

 _Yet suddenly the forest was quiet. She opened her eyes, blinking surprised as a hand reached for her and pulled her up to her feet. And there he stood. A man with hair as black as the night and eyes as bright as a fire in the dark._

 _"You saved my life, Ser."_

 _"I am not a knight, fair maiden."_

 _"May I ask for your name?" She looked at him, her heart skipped a beat. "Alessia is mine."_

 _He smiled and cupped her cheek. "Names I have many but for you I'll be Bormah. Now come with me, I will guide you back home."_

 _Weeks had passed until she said yes, to the man that saved her life. They wed, and they kissed and fathered a child. But time was not on their side for too long for the new year dawned and Bormah was gone._

 _She wept for a day, maybe even two, until she took little Nelyana by hand and together mother and daughter went back to the forest. They searched, and they called but no word from her husband. They wandered far and wide through the lands until they finally came by the Jerall Mountains. The cold land of Skyrim laid right on the other side and while they climbed, higher and higher the more she felt watched by eyes above. A shadow fell over them and as they looked up they were met by a dragon. Huge with black scales and wings spread wide; its fiery eyes came closer and closer as it descended before them._

 _Alessia stepped in front of her daughter yet her face softened as she knew him._

 _"Bormah, my sweet husband." She whispered and reached out, touching his warm and scaly snout. The dragon smiled, happy to see them. Small Nelyana squeaked and climbed onto his back. Alessia smiled and climbed on him too and they lifted into the skies, over the mountains to the land of ice._

 _And so, it ended, the story of how a God fell in love, in love, in love with a maiden fair with golden hair.'_

* * *

The warmth of the palace embraced them as they entered through the big doors on the next morning. The dragon stone weight still heavily in Nelli's satchel. Her mind wandered back to the story she had told Shiloh last night. After everything she's been through, after all the experiments done to her, after the excruciating pain she endured until she ended up in the forest where she had met Shiloh for the first time, this story was one thing she'd never forget. Her mother had told her this story so many times before her bedtime, even on the night that changed her life forever. The night when her parents had been killed. The night she was snatched from her bed. This story and the amulet around her neck were the only things left of her family.

"You see? The terminology is clearly First Era or even earlier. I'm convinced this is a copy of a much older text. Perhaps dating to just after the Dragon War. If so, I could use this to cross-reference the names with other later texts."

The two women stopped by the door as they heard the court wizard's voice. Apparently, he wasn't alone and they were rather uncertain if they should interrupt. A woman's voice was now hear from the room.

"Good. I'm glad you're making progress. My employers are anxious to have some tangible answers."

"Oh, have no fear. The Jarl himself has finally taken an interest, so I'm now able to devote most of my time to this research."

"Time is running." The woman said with urgency in her voice. "Farengar, don't forget. This isn't some theoretical question. Dragons have come back."

"Yes, yes," the wizard said a tad bit annoyed. "Don't worry. Although the chance to see a living dragon up close would be tremendously valuable. Now, let me show you something else I found. Very intriguing. I think your employers may be interested as well…"

Nelli shifted forward, her eyes found those of the mysterious woman standing by the table in the wizard's room. Her eyes were the only feature she could make out since she wore a hood and face mask.

"You have a visitor." She stated.

Nelli signaled Shiloh to follow into the room as Farengar looked up.

"Hm? Ah, yes, the Jarl's proteges. Back from Bleak Falls Barrow? You didn't die, it seems."

"Clearly, we didn't." Nelli said and reached into her satchel, revealing the stone. She handed it over. "A little warning would've been nice though."

Farengar ignored her snarky remark and turned the stone in his hands with awe. "Ah! The Dragonstone of Bleak Falls Barrow! Despite what you might've encountered in the tomb you seem to be a cut above the usual brutes the Jarl sends my way. My…" He cast a glance at the mysterious woman. "Associate here will be pleased to see your handiwork. She discovered its location, by means she has so far declined to share with me. So, your information was correct after all. And we have our friends here to thank for recovering it for us."

"Yeah, we nearly died, not that it matters, right?" Shiloh grumbled.

Nelli bit back a grin and looked at the woman who had turned her attention to them now.

"You went into Bleak Falls Barrow and got that? Nice work."

"You're welcome." Nelli said sarcastically.

The woman walked towards the door. "Just send me a copy when you've deciphered it." She said to the wizard and cast a last, long glance at Nelli, her eyes fixed on the amulet half hidden under her shirt, the pendant peeking out just a little. Her eyes found those of Nelli again and finally she turned and left them alone with the wizard.

"So, what now?" Nelli asked Farengar. "We helped you with this stone…will there be a reward?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, of course, but you'll need to speak to the Jarl about that."

"Right, well, goodbye then." She said and turned to the door as she spotted the Jarl's housecarl, Irileth, hurrying over.

"Farengar! The Jarl needs to see you. A dragon's been sighted by the western watchtower." She then spotted Nelli and Shiloh. For a split second she seemed to hesitate, but then sighed. "You should come too."

"Wait, what…?" Nelli said but the woman left already. Farengar hurried past them.

"Come, this is exciting!" He said.

"I guess we don't really have a choice." Nelli said.

"I could think of a lot of things that are more exciting than this but alright." Shiloh muttered as she followed Nelli and the wizard.

As they walked up the flight of stairs they immediately spotted the Jarl, Irileth, as well as a guard who looked like he had crawled through mud and barbed wire.

"So, Irileth tells me you came from the western watchtower?" Balgruuf said to the guard.

Nelli cast a glance around the room and spotted a map on a wooden table, little blue and red flags pinned into it. But before she could take a closer look, her attention was drawn by the guard.

"Uh…that's right. We saw the dragon coming from the south. It was fast…faster than anything I've ever seen."

"What did it do?" The Jarl asked quite shocked. "Is it attacking the watchtower?"

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "No, my lord. It was just circling overhead when I left. I never ran so fast in my life. I thought it would come after me for sure."

Nelli cast a glance at Shiloh, then at the map on the table. She inched closer and saw that the little flags stood for camps. Red apparently stood for Imperial camps. Blue for those of the Stormcloak rebels. She tried to memorize at least a few. Suddenly, Shiloh's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked at her friend whose face was at least fifty shades of grey and white.

"What?" She asked and looked from her friend to the Jarl.

"I said," The Jarl replied, "That there's no time to lose. I need your help again. I want you to go with Irileth and help her fight this dragon."

"Whoa, hey, wait…we're not dragonslayers. We barely made it out of Bleak Falls yesterday and now you want us to go fight a dragon?" Nelli protested.

"Yes, what she said!" Shiloh added.

The Jarl sighed impatiently. "You were in Helgen and saw what destruction a dragon can do. You have more experience with dragons than anyone else here. And don't think I've forgotten about what you did for Farengar. As a token of my esteem, I have instructed Avenicci that you are now permitted to purchase property in the city. And please," He went to a weapon display and took an axe out of it and offered it to Nelli. "Accept this gift from my personal armory."

Nelli stared at the axe for a moment, then looked up at the man.

"We don't have any gold to buy a house, nor are we experienced in fighting dragons. Why do you have so much faith in us?"

"I can see the fire in your eyes. And I don't just mean that your eyes look like it. It's that glimmer of…adventure? Excitement? Yes, even fear. But it's not the fear of death. You're far past that fear. You've obviously been through something close to death and still here you stand. Investigating a town after a dragon attack, looking for survivors. Warning a defenseless town nearby. Coming here to seek my help, for me to send troops to ensure the people of Riverwood are safe."

Nelli remained silent and so did Shiloh.

"And then you go into a Nord tomb, a place that's widely known as scary and dangerous. A place where the dead walk and seek revenge for their eternal unrest. You fight your way through such a place. You return with the item my wizard was looking for. You're both still in one piece. And honestly, you had a choice. You could've turned and left. You could've let us handle this dragon situation alone. But deep down you both know that's not who you are. You're no cowards. You're strong. You're capable to fight and you want to help. You wouldn't still be here if all this wouldn't be true. Now tell me, Nelli, Shiloh," He looked from one to the other, still holding the axe out for Nelli. "Are you willing to fight for me? Are you willing to protect my people? Just this once?"

Nelli looked at her friend again, one, two, three heartbeats until Shiloh shrugged with a defeated smile.

Finally, Nelli reached for the axe and weighed it in her hand before she looked at the Jarl again. She gave him a short nod.

"We will."

* * *

 ***insert heroic melody here* :D So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The story "The Dragon and the Maiden Fair" is completely made up by me though I borrowed the title of it from Game of Thrones. There it is "The Bear and the Maiden Fair", so I enjoyed this title. But yeah, the story itself is made up, but has an important role in this story, especially for Nelli's family background ;) Also, like Bormah in the story told his wife he has many names...but for her he chose Bormah which is the name the dragons know him as. Now, if you want to keep the suspense up just wait for my explanation in the future, otherwise just google/uesp for Bormah Skyrim. ;P**

 **And now I am looking forward to your reviews :)**


	5. Chapter 5

The candlelight flickered gently as the door to the grand bedroom opened. Ulfric looked up from the book he was reading by his desk. It was late afternoon, there were no important meetings for him, so he had decided to retreat and read for a while mainly to put his mind to rest.

"Jarl Ulfric, Sir," the guardsman said. "Galmar is awaiting you in the war room. He has news."

Ulfric got up and turned the book around so he could keep reading later. The sound of his heavy footsteps echoed in the stony hallway as he walked down the flight of stairs leading into the war room. Ice crystals were covering the high windows, barely letting any light through. Two beeswax candles stood on the table that was positioned in the center of the room, the map of Skyrim spread out on the dark wooden surface. Little pins of red and blue flags signaling the Stormcloak and Imperial camps scattered across the country.

He spotted his second-in-command taking a big gulp of warm spiced wine from a mug, bumping it on the smaller table by the wall as he spotted the Jarl. He got up from the chair, the wood squeaking as the weight was lifted from it.

"What's so important, Galmar?" He asked.

"Got news from our camp in Whiterun. You should read this for yourself." He pulled a rolled-up parchment from under his fur and handed it over. Ulfric took it carefully and unfolded it, his eyes scanning the hastily written words.

"So, it is true." He muttered. "The attack at Helgen was not just an individual case. The dragons did come back."

"You should keep reading." Galmar said and nodded at the parchment.

Ulfric furrowed his brow and kept reading. His lips parted in disbelief. "The Dragonborn? That's ridiculous, Galmar. There hasn't been a Dragonborn in centuries."

"There haven't been dragons in centuries either. Yet, they are back. Makes sense that a Dragonborn steps onto the map too."

Ulfric put the parchment onto the table and paced slowly, circling it. "If a Dragonborn is roaming Skyrim again, we would have heard it. The Greybeards would have called out to that person. Summoning him to them."

Galmar chuckled and poured some more wine into two mugs and pushed one of them into Ulfrics hands. "Wanna hear something funny?"

He shrugged. "What?"

"Words in Whiterun is that the dragonslayer of the Western watchtower wasn't a lad."

Ulfric chuckled. "Yes, that's really funny."

"But yet it seems to be true. I gathered more information and all of them claim that a woman slayed the dragon. And absorbed its soul. And shouted."

"Yes, yes, I know how a Dragonborn works." He grumbled and put the wine down. "Any information where this woman is now? The return of the Dragonborn in times of the return of the dragons is a big opportunity for us, Galmar. If we can get her on our side, make her not only get rid of the dragons for us but fight for the Stormcloak agenda…we'll defeat Tullius and his dimwitted soldiers in no time."

"Ah, of course, I have thought of that too. And who would I be if I wouldn't have already sent scouts out to track her down. Word is she is still either in or near Whiterun. Should be easy for us to find her."

Ulfric lifted his mug again and grinned at Galmar as they bumped their mugs together in triumph.

* * *

"Did you just…did we really….have you…are you…oh my, Nelli, what the hell did we just do?" Shiloh bounced beside her, grabbing her by the arm.

"It appears we killed a dragon." Nelli said calmly. Too much had happened in the past hour. Not only did she manage to kill a dragon with lots of help from Shiloh and the guards, but also did she absorb the soul of that beast. The guards had urged her to shout. She had no idea what they wanted from her so she did the only possible thing she could come up with and shouted the word that had spoken to her in Bleak Falls Barrow.

 _Fus._

A gust of wind had whirled up the leaves on the ground and some of the guards nearby had stumbled backwards.

"Do you really think you're a Dragonborn?"

Nelli sighed. "Look, Shi, I really need some time to think about what happened today. My head is aching like crazy. Can we maybe not talk for a while?"

"Oh…" She muttered. "Yes, sure. I will be quiet. I'm just so…"

Nelli looked at her and Shiloh fell silent, making a zipping motion over her lips and smiled. Together they passed the gate of Whiterun. Irileth had told them to immediately return to the palace and tell Jarl Balgruuf what had happened by the watchtower. To be honest, Nelli still couldn't fully grasp what had happened.

The warmth of the palace wrapped around her like a blanket. She felt the Jarl's eyes on her as they approached the throne.

"You're back and in one piece." He said and smiled. "Tell me, was there really a dragon?"

"There was." She said and reached into her pocket, revealing a bloody dragon's tooth. "We killed it." She handed the tooth over. Carefully Balgruuf inspected it, then handed it back to her.

"Give this to Farengar once we're done here."

She took it back and watched him expectantly. "Was that all? Can we go now?"

"Unless there is anything else of importance you haven't told me yet. Otherwise, you're dismissed."

She felt Shiloh's eyes on her and for a split second she thought about telling him about this entire Dragonborn thing, but just as quickly she pushed that aside and shook her head.

"No, that is all. I will give this tooth to your court wizard for further research and then we'll be gone."

Balgruuf nodded. "One more thing." He said as the two of them turned to leave. Nelli looked at him expectantly. "Don't forget about the offer I made. You are hereby able to purchase a house in Whiterun. You don't have to decide right now. Take your time and speak to my stewart once you made your decision."

Nelli nodded with a grateful smile and after they dropped the tooth onto Farengar's desk and gave him a quick description of the dragon and the fight they finally stepped out of the palace into the crisp early evening air. The scent of freshly cooked meals hung in the air.

"What now?" Shiloh asked as they descended the stairs and walked down to the marketplace. The sellers had already begun to pack their things and close their stalls. Nelli looked up at the sky and inhaled.

"It's going to rain soon. I don't mind staying at the inn for another night. We can leave early tomorrow."

"And go where exactly?"

She shrugged. "Wherever we want. Back home maybe?"

"To that old shack by the river? Alright, listen, I know you don't want to talk about this whole you being a Dragonb—" She was cut short as Nelli pulled her away from the still relatively crowded marketplace to a much quieter alley. "—born. Dragonborn. But returning to the shack is not an option."

Nelli sighed. "Why not? It's nicely tucked away from all the things happening in this world right now. The war. The dragons."

"Nell…we are already part of this entire dragon situation. You cannot just ignore what happened to you."

"I'm not ignoring it, Shi. I just don't know what to make of it. So, what if I really _am_ a Dragonborn? How would I know what to make of these new powers? I am sure this isn't just some natural gift. I am sure I need some sort of training. Do you want us to travel around the whole country and asking each and every person we meet if they know how a Dragonborn works?"

For a while they remained silent. As the first raindrops started falling they looked at each other again. They both knew the other one was right. Nelli knew she could not just ignore that new power. Shiloh knew they couldn't just knock on each door in the country asking for information.

"We need a wizard. Maybe Farengar knows what to do." Shiloh suggested.

They slowly walked over towards the Bannered Mare. Nelli opened her mouth to say something as suddenly a loud thunder exploded in the distance, carrying voices across the sky.

 _"Dovahkiin!"_

The rumbling slowly faded. Stunned the two girls stood there on the steps of the inn, staring at the evening sky. Then they looked around the streets, seeing more people doing the same.

"What, uhm, what was that?" Shiloh asked carefully.

"Someone was calling me." Nelli replied slowly and turned to look at her friend. "Someone called for the Dragonborn."


	6. Chapter 6

The rooster hadn't begun his wake-up call yet, but Nelli and Shiloh had already left Whiterun a while ago. With the money they had earned by defending the Western watchtower they were able to purchase two horses. Nelli had named hers Snowberry, Shiloh chose Honeycomb for hers. The faint rose, and purple of sunrise painted the sky behind the mountain pass. Snow had fallen in the night, the further north they rode the colder it became, and the road was barely visible under the white blanket.

"And what's the plan now?" Shiloh asked.

"I don't know. For now I just want to reach Ivarstead."

"So you really want to walk up 7000 steps to a secluded monastery on top of the highest peak of Skyrim to talk to some monks who might or might not have called for you…in case you _are_ what people say."

A sigh escaped her, her breath visible in the cold morning air. "You've seen what happened back at the watchtower. You saw the strange light coming from the slain dragon, the wind carrying the light towards me, around me, into me. I can't explain it. I just know this cannot just be a weird coincidence, Shi. These so-called Greybeards have called for the Dragonborn not too long after this incident happened. If this is a mistake…we can still turn back. Go back to our peaceful life."

"I doubt that, honestly." She muttered.

Nelli cast a glance at her. "Well, maybe not as peaceful as before. But…"

"No, no buts. We are already too deep involved in this. People have seen you slay a dragon! More dragons will come for sure. They will always try seeking you out to help them fight these dragons. Dragonborn or not…you're a beacon of hope for the people of Skyrim already."

"No one outside of Whiterun knows about what happened, Shi. Well, except for the Greybeards apparently."

They fell silent again, their horses trudging through the thick snow as they rode side by side through a mountain pass. The sun had risen higher by now, melting the snow here and there, making it more treacherous though. While the horses tried their best to keep a steady pace, sometimes they slipped a little on the ice.

Suddenly Snowberry shied and whinnied a little. Honeycomb did just the same, both horses unwilling to keep going. Nelli looked at Shiloh.

"A predator must be nearby." Nelli said and cast a glance around but there was nothing much to see. Both sides of the road were flanked by high cliffs. There were just two ways to go. Back where they came from. Or press forward despite the protest of their horses.

"I don't like this." Shiloh muttered. "We should turn and find another way to Ivarstead."

Nelli was about to agree and turn her horse around when a high-pitched screech exploded above them. They winced and looked up to the sky, a hawk rising from somewhere ahead of them, circling above one spot, then suddenly plummeted down towards them, landing in the snow a few steps ahead of them. An arrow stuck in its body. Nelli dismounted and inched closer to the bird. It looked up at her, its chest rising and falling rapidly.

"It's alive." She called over to Shiloh who took hold of Snowberry's reigns. Then Nelli looked back at the bird, carefully reaching out. It screeched at her again, trying to flap its wings and hack at her hand but it was just a weak attempt.

"Hush, I promise I won't harm you. I want to help you." She gently stroked over the hawk's head, humming a soothing melody. With her other hand she produced a sharp dagger from her belt. The steel glinted in the morning sun, the bird immediately started squirming again. "Shi, I need your help over here."

Shiloh dismounted and tied the horses to a tree, then hurried over. "What are you doing?"

"I want to save his life. I need to cut the arrow out a bit."

"Can't you just pull it out?"

"That might harm him more than it already does. The tip could break off. Cover his eyes, that will calm him down. Then hold him still so I can start cutting."

The cold still seeped into their bodies. Nelli felt her fingers becoming stiffer any passing minute. As Shiloh covered the bird's head with a piece of cloth and put some light pressure onto its wings to keep it still, Nelli put the dagger against the wound and started cutting. The bird screeched again.

"I know it hurts. I am so sorry for this." She said but kept going. She worked as fast as she could. Blood seeped from the wound, but after another minute she could easily pull the arrow out without damaging any vital organs. As far as she could tell nothing vital was harmed at all. She tossed the arrow aside, then rummaged in her satchel and revealed a needle and some threat. Soon enough, the wound was closed. She poured a bit alcohol on it and bandaged it.

"That should do the trick." She said. "I think he can make it."

"We have to take him with us though. If we leave him here, he will soon be dead from the cold or another animal."

"Of course, he's coming with us." Nelli said and picked the hawk up gently, removing the cloth from its eyes. She already expected the bird to screech at her again, maybe make another attempt to bite her and fly away, yet it didn't move. Only its head turned from her to Shiloh as if taking in the faces of his saviors. He blinked as his pitch-black eyes found Nelli again.

"You're a strong lad." She said with a soft smile. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Shiloh picking up the arrow, silently inspecting it for a moment.

"Imperial." She then grumbled and tossed the arrow back into the snow. "I'm sure there's a troop somewhere ahead. Maybe even a camp. We really should leave."

Nelli nodded, then squinted her eyes as she spotted something around the bird's leg. "Wait a moment…"She handed the bird to Shiloh and carefully took the small piece of parchment from the ring around its leg. She unfolded it and furrowed her brow, then her eyes went wide.

"Nelli? What's it saying?"

"It just says Ambush." She showed her the note with just this one word hastily scribbled. It was smeared with blood. Whoever wrote the message was either injured or had killed someone before writing it.

"We have to check if there's any survivor." She then said and pushed the note into her satchel and took the hawk back from Shiloh. She started constructing some sort of carrying device for the bird and attached it to her horse's saddle.

"Are you insane?" Shiloh asked as she watched her friend untie the horses and mount hers.

"These are Imperials we might be up against," Nelli said and pushed the reigns of Honeycomb into Shiloh's hands. "Considering what we've faced so far we are way past the point of insane decisions."

Shiloh sighed and mounted her horse. "Well, off to another death trap it is then."

They trotted further along the road until they reached a bend. They could not see what was behind the bend, but they also couldn't hear anything.

"So quiet." Shi whispered.

"Too quiet if you ask me." Nelli muttered and spurred her horse a little, slowly making her way around the bend. She gasped as she halted, the sight before her so gruesome it almost made her sick. Her eyes scanned the blood-soaked snow, her gaze drifting over the bodies. The dead bodies on the ground. Some missing arms, some were even beheaded.

"Nelli?" Shiloh said as she approached, gasping too as she saw what laid before them. "What in the Seven Hells happened here?"

"These are…Stormcloaks." Nelli said as she dismounted, walking amongst the dead, observing their armor. The blue and silver of the Stormcloak army she had heard so much about. She felt a shiver running down her spine, the empty eyes of the dead following each of her step. She nudged some of the bodies in a silent hope someone was still alive.

"Can we leave, please?" Shiloh asked, trying to keep the horses calm. "We don't know how far the Imperial camp is."

Nelli turned to get back to her horse when she stopped abruptly, listening. She cast a glance around and spotted an alcove nearby. A body was lying face down in the snow, yet she could swear she heard a sound coming from it. She hurried over and dropped down on her knees beside the broad-shouldered man. Carefully she placed two fingers against the man's neck, a relieved breath escaped her as she felt a pulse. Weak, but still pounding against her skin.

"It's alright…I will turn you around now." She said and pushed with all her might. The man was strong, muscular. Yet she managed to turn him around slowly until he was lying on his back. He was elder then the rest of the dead men. He coughed and blinked lightly.

"Who…" He breathed as his eyes found hers. For a moment it was as if he recognized something, but before he could say any more, he passed out again.

* * *

 ** _Two days earlier_**

The shadows danced on the map that was spread on the table. It was quiet in the war room; Ulfric leaned on the table with his hands, silently staring at the crown.

"Still surprised we really found it?"

He looked up as Galmar entered, taking a bite from a juicy red apple. The fruity liquid dropped into his beard and he brushed it away, then gestured at the crown on the table.

"Not a beauty, but that shouldn't matter, aye?"

Ulfric pushed away from the table and took the crown in his hands. "It's supporting my claim, that's for sure. I think it is time for the next step."

"And that is? See if it fits?" He joked.

He rolled his eyes amused. "You think I haven't yet?"

"Nah, you wouldn't do that without me witnessing it, right? Come on, try it."

He chuckled. "If you insist." Ulfric lifted the crown and put it onto his head. "And?"

"Like it's meant to be." Galmar said. "Very fashionable."

"Stop it." He said amused and put the crown back onto the table. "There are more pressing matters at hand now. I need you to deliver a message."

"Why not sent a courier?"

"I won't entrust some hired courier with this. I want you to take my axe." He unsheathed it from his belt. "Take it and deliver it to Whiterun. Balgruuf has to make a decision."

Galmar took the axe. "Aye, he cannot hide behind his castle walls much longer. He better sees reason and joins our side."

"I wouldn't bet on that but still…no matter what his answer will be, it is better than the silence coming from him. Take some men with you. Not too much, just a handful."

Galmar fastened the axe to his belt and nodded. "I'll be on my way then. I'm taking a hawk with me. Once I get his answer I will send word to you."

Ulfric reached out and squeezed his general's shoulder lightly. "Be safe out there, my friend."

* * *

 ** _Present Day_**

A comforting warmth spread into his stiff limbs, his fingers twitching lightly as his eyes fluttered open. He blinked, trying to see where he was. The bed was soft, a fire flickered in the hearth. He furrowed his brow in confusion as he spotted a scarf lying in front of the fire, a hawk nestled into it asleep. Slowly, he sat up with a low groan, his head still pounding.

"Ah, you're awake." Came a voice from the other corner and he looked over, spotting a young girl.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice raspy. "Where…am I?"

The girl got up from the chair and poured a cup of spring water for him. He took it and drank eagerly, feeling the cool liquid run down his throat, bringing some life back into his body.

"I'm Shiloh. My friend and I found you and brought you to this shack in the woods."

He tried to make sense of it. Slowly, memories came back flooding into his mind. The snowy mountain pass, the sudden battle cry, Imperial soldiers charging at them. The blood. The bodies. His hasty scribbled message, the hawk lifting into the sky just to be shot down again. He looked over at the bird in front of the fire, wondering if this was the same hawk. Then, there was nothing. Just an abyss of black as something hit the back of his head hard. He reached up, touching the spot and hissed in pain.

"Yeah, maybe you shouldn't do that, old man." Shiloh joked. "You have a pretty nasty bump there."

"I still don't understand…"

The door then opened and another young woman entered. He looked up and saw she had two dead pheasants slung over her shoulder. Her hair was silvery blonde, long and flawless. She turned towards them and smiled at him.

"You're awake!" She said and placed the dead birds on the wooden table and walked towards him. "Wasn't sure you'd make it."

Galmar just stared at her silently.

"Cat got your tongue?" She asked amused. "I'm Nelli."

"It's you…" He breathed, staring at those eyes. Just like Ralof had said. Eyes like a fire in the dark.

She tilted her head, casting a glance at Shiloh who just shrugged. "What do you mean…it's me?"

"The one from Helgen. You saved one of my soldier's life. Ralof? Remember him?"

"Of course I remember him. Ralof from Riverwood. He spoke of me?"

"Once he returned home to Windhelm, yes. Ever since then I was looking for you."

She huffed and took a step back. "Why would you do that?"

"Not for myself. I was looking for you in the name of Ulfric Stormcloak."

Nelli felt her heart skip a beat for a second. She turned away from him and stared into the flames.

"What did he tell you?" She asked staring into the flames.

"Nothing much, actually. But maybe it's time you tell the story. How do you know Ulfric?"

She wrapped her arms around herself and sighed heavily. "It was a cold and stormy night…"

* * *

 **Well, well, well, would you look at this cliffhanger? I was so eager to keep writing, but I decided to keep this whole past between Ulfric and Nelli in the dark for you, guys :P Don't worry, it will be revealed soon!**

 **As of now, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And if you do, please don't hesitate to review!**


	7. Chapter 7

_The fresh morning snow crunched under their little boots as the boy and the girl chased each other across the courtyard of the palace in Windhelm. Their breath steaming in the air as they scattered to a halt in front of the big double doors as Jarl Hoag stepped outside._

 _"Tag! It's you!" The girl giggled as she touched the boy's shoulder._

 _"That's not fair, Nelli!" Ulfric protested. "I can't just crash into my father!"_

 _Nelli stuck out her tongue. "You're such a sore loser." She said and beamed at the Jarl as he chuckled deeply._

 _"She just taught you a valuable lesson, son." He said. "If the enemy is on your heels you can't let any obstacle stop you." He ruffled Ulfric's hair as he walked past them._

 _"Where are you going?" Ulfric asked curiously, trying to catch up to his father._

 _"I need to attend a meeting in Whiterun. And no, you are not allowed to come." He said knowing his son all too well._

 _"But…"_

 _Hoag stopped by the city gate, a few guards already awaiting him to escort him to Whiterun. He turned towards his son and crouched before him. Nelli watched from a few steps away. Hoag placed his hand on the back of Ulfric's neck and smiled warmly._

 _"You have to take over duty while I am gone, son."_

 _Ulfric's eyes sparkled. "Really?"_

 _He nodded as he straightened up again. "Remember, there always must be a Stormcloak in Windhelm."_

 _"I won't disappoint you, father!" He called as the entourage left the city and the big gate fell shut with a loud bang._

 _Nelli stepped closer to him. "Bet I'll be the first on the throne." She tapped his shoulder and spun around, running towards the palace again. Ulfric caught up with her by the doors of the palace, both fighting who got to open them first. The guards watched amused as Nelli kicked his chin and managed to push the door open._

 _"The throne is mine!" She laughed as they raced towards it; Nelli on the left, Ulfric on the right side of the long table in the middle of the throne room. They dodged guards and maids alike, and both reached the throne at the same time, pushing each other again until they both ended up sitting on the throne. It was not very comfy sharing it but at least they were still small enough to both fit on it together._

 _"I clearly won." Ulfric grinned at her._

 _"No, you didn't. We touched it at the same time. We both won!"_

 _"There can't be two winners."_

 _"Right, that's why you are the loser." She pinched his nose and smiled at him._

 _"I am certain this is exactly what the Jarl imagined when he entrusted you with this." Gunnal said. He was the Jarl's second in command. Ulfric wasn't very fond of that man, but he knew his father trusted him with his life._

 _"Why aren't you with my father?"_

 _"He deemed it wise for me to stay and make sure you won't burn down the palace in his absence. As I can see it was indeed a clever thought."_

 _Nelli huffed and jumped off the throne. "You don't have to be so mean!"_

 _"Speaking the truth is considered mean?" He said amused. "What are you still doing here anyway, Nelli? Your mother is looking for you all morning already."_

 _"Oh no, I forgot we made plans!" She exclaimed and waved at Ulfric, hurrying away outside of the palace and through the small passage that connected the palace with the residential area of the city. She spotted her mother in front of their house as she hurried along the path._

 _"Nellisane!" Arianna called sternly. "Where have you been?"_

 _She stopped in front of her mother. "I was playing tag with Ulfric. I am sorry, I forgot we planned to travel to the hot springs today."_

 _Arianna sighed. "I am not mad at you, my love. I was just concerned. When I found your bed empty this morning I thought the worst."_

 _"I'm sorry, mother. Next time I will wait and tell you where I go."_

 _She bend down and kissed her daughter's forehead. "We only have each other. I can't imagine losing you."_

 _"Will we still be able to go to the springs?"_

 _"I think it's wise to stay in the city today. I overheard the soldiers this morning. Something is stirring in the lands. I don't know why the Jarl went to Whiterun, but something does not feel right. Promise me, you'll stay within the city walls today."_

 _She nodded. "I do, mother. I promise. Can I stay at the palace with Ulfric?"_

 _Arianna laughed. "You and that boy. Of course, you can. Make sure he doesn't cause too much trouble." She winked._

 _Nelli smiled. "I love you, mother!" She waved and hurried back to the palace. She slipped inside as one of the guards left the palace. Gunnal was nowhere to be seen, yet neither was Ulfric. She wondered where he could be. She peeked into the war room but found it empty._

 _"Psss…Nelli!" She suddenly heard someone whisper behind her. She turned and spotted Ulfric by the door that led to the kitchen. He gestured her to come over. She quickly hurried across the room and stopped next to him._

 _"What are you doing?" She asked. "And why are we whispering?" She added aware that she was actually whispering._

 _"I told Gunnal I'd go upstairs and read. He went into the barracks, we might not have much time. Take these." He handed her a box and some bags._

 _"Ulfric, what is all this?" She asked confused._

 _"Cookies, sweet rolls and taffy." He grinned cheekily. "Now let's go to my room."_

 _They made sure no one spotted them and hurried through the war room and upstairs to the accommodation halls. They entered his bedroom that lay to the left side of the stairs that led to his father's bedroom. He closed the door and locked it while Nelli placed the food on the bed._

* * *

"Hold on." Galmar suddenly interrupted Nelli and shifted a bit, sitting up a bit more. "How old were you?"

"Roughly seven. Maybe eight, I can't say for sure anymore. Why?"

"How old are you now?" He asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

She cast a glance at Shiloh, then back at him. "34."

"See, that doesn't add up. You're almost ten years younger than Ulfric. When you were seven or eight, he would've been seventeen or eighteen. About to head into war."

"Well, maybe, if you'd let me tell the rest of my story you might understand." She snapped.

Galmer huffed but gestured her to continue.

* * *

 _They spent the entire day in Ulfric's room, eating all the sweets and read books or make up stories by themselves. It was almost time for dinner when they went downstairs again. As they stepped into the throne room they immediately spotted the hooded figure approaching. They looked around, but Gunnal was nowhere to be seen._

 _The figure stopped and looked at them. Ulfric stepped forward. "Who are you?"_

 _Now, as he lifted his head a bit, they saw it was a man. "I came to speak to the Jarl of Windhelm in an urgent matter."_

 _"My father is not available today. You should leave."_

 _Nelli nudged him and whispered, "You have to deal with him instead."_

 _Ulfric looked at her uncertainly, then back at the man. "But…my father entrusted me with his power. Whatever it is you need, you can tell me." He walked over to the throne and climbed onto it. Nelli took a seat by the long table, watching curiously as the stranger took a step closer to the throne._

 _"I followed your father's call for the position of the court wizard."_

 _That was true, the late court wizard's position wasn't filled again yet, so Hoag had sent letters out throughout Skyrim and even beyond the border for a new wizard. Not many have answered the call yet and those who did were not the right person for the position at the palace._

 _Ulfric shifted. This was not really something he should decide. Yet, he couldn't just send the man away. Nelli was right. He was the only Stormcloak in Windhelm at the moment and his father had given him the right to take over the business until he would return. Since it was unclear when exactly that would be, if tomorrow or even later, no one could say. Hence, it was his task to at least listen to the man and come to a decision on his own._

 _"I am listening. Why do you think you're the right person?"_

 _"First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Odarin. I was the court wizard of the Imperial Palace of Cyrodiil. My position there came to an end and I heard of your father's need. And here I am, offering my loyal and very skilled handiwork."_

 _"Why did your position end in Cyrodiil?" Ulfric asked. He couldn't tell what it was but something about this man uneased him. He shifted a bit on the throne, trying to hide the fact that he was nervous. He cast a glance over at Nelli who smiled encouragingly at him. He looked back at Odarin, still expecting an answer to his question._

 _The wizard smiled. "I was, of course, prepared for such a question. It was merely a falling out with the Emperor. Nothing that had anything to do with my skills."_

 _"What exactly are your skills?"_

 _"Everything you need I can do. Healing. Conjuring. Destruction. Potion brewing. Enchanting weapons and armor. Very valuable things in this political turmoil nowadays. I am more than certain I am the right person to stay at your father's side in case the turmoil turns to war." The smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth made him look almost sinister. Or maybe it was just the lightning of the braziers._

 _"That sounds very intriguing. Thank you for coming. You surely understand that I can't just decide this right now. Give me this night to think it through." Ulfric slid from the throne. "The Candlehearth Hall has a warm bed for you."_

 _Odarin tilted his head in respect, if honest of not, none of them could say. "Thank you for your time, my little Lord." He said and turned away. His eyes fell on Nelli for a moment, his eyes boring into hers. She was used to such reactions from strangers. Everyone was fascinated by her fire-like eyes. She blinked and looked away though the longer her stared. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw him licking his lips before he seemed to snap out of his trance._

 _"Good night." He said and left the palace. Once the door fell shut they both let out a relieved breath they both hadn't been aware of holding._

 _"That man is creepy." She said as Ulfric joined her at the table. "Did you see the way he stared at me? Like he was about to eat me in whole." She shuddered._

 _"I don't have a good feeling about him either. I hope my father will be home tomorrow so he can talk to him and hopefully make the right decision." He took a piece of grilled fish and some baked potatoes._

 _They ate dinner in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Being a child in Skyrim wasn't the easiest, but while Nelli could enjoy being a carefree child most of the time she could see how much the responsibility weighed on Ulfric's mind. He had a reputation to uphold. The reputation of his family. Sure, he was known as a little rascal but when it came to duties he knew how to act. He had to grow up faster than other kids._

 _"I should go home now." She said once she had emptied her plate. "I already scared my mother this morning. I don't want her be even more concerned now that it's dark outside."_

 _He nodded. "Thank you for staying with me today. It would have been boring alone."_

 _She smiled and jumped from her chair, surrounded the table and pecked him on the cheek. He blushed._

 _"Wh-what was that for?"_

 _She shrugged. "You're my best friend. I want you to know that I love you."_

 _He blushed even more. "Oh—alright, thank you. I uhm…I like you too. A lot." He stammered. "Sleep well, Nelli."_

 _She waved at him as she bounced towards the exit. "See you tomorrow!" She called._

* * *

"And that was the last time I've seen him." She whispered. She saw Shiloh offering her a handkerchief and just now she was aware that tears were rolling down her cheeks. She took the cloth and dried her face a bit.

"What happened that night?" Galmar asked, still confused about the entire age-thing, but he could tell what she said was true. These tears were honest. They were pure, raw emotions spilling out of her.

"He snatched me from the passage between the palace and the residential area. No one was patrolling in that moment, and it was dark, like I said." She explained. "He put his hand over my mouth and hissed something into my ear. I can't remember what he said, it all happened so fast, but I must have passed out. When I woke up again I was in some dusty, cold room. I saw a window and I knew I was somewhere high up from the ground. In a tower, most likely."

She blew her nose and tossed the cloth away into the fire of the hearth. "I felt his presence in the room. He stood by the door. Now, he wasn't wearing his hood anymore. Now I saw his long, red hair. His amber eyes fixed on me like they were before in the palace. Yet, somehow…I don't know…he didn't appear sinister anymore. He even smiled. Softly. Like a proud parent smiles at their child. Which, in hindsight was probably even creepier considering he was not my father and I was not his child."

Shiloh knew bits and pieces of what had happened to her, but this information was brand new to her too. This was the whole, the uncut story of how Nelli ended up in the woods on the day they met for the first time. She leaned in closer and took her hand, squeezing gently.

"I had no idea…"

"How could you? I never told you all the details. Never told you about my friendship to Ulfric."

"Which still doesn't make much sense." Galmar chimed in trying to sound less suspicious. Nelli nodded.

"I know this must sound crazy. But I am telling the truth."

"Will you tell us the rest then?" He asked.

"I will. Now, where was I? Oh, right." She said and thought back to that day.

* * *

 _"Where am I?" Nelli said as she glared at him. "Bring me back to my mother, right now!"_

 _He pushed away from the doorframe and took a few steps into the room. "I fear that's not possible."_

 _"Why? What do you want from me?"_

 _"Are you frightened?" He asked, touching the candles hanging at the wall, flames emerging from them and lightening the room a bit more._

 _"Obviously I am." She muttered._

 _He tilted his head a bit. "You're not frightened enough."_

 _"Will you kill me?" She asked, backing away as he stepped towards her. He stopped._

 _"Kill you? I have no interest in killing you. You are far too valuable."_

 _She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean? Am I your slave now? Will you sell me?"_

 _He chuckled and for some reason it almost comforted her. It was a warm sound. A deep, rumbling sound she never heard from a human being before. She looked up at him._

 _"Snatching you from your home, forcing you to leave everything behind…your mother, your friend. Everything you love…that is not an easy task to ask of a child of your age. But, it is a necessary thing to do to save the world."_

 _She blinked. What did he say? Saving the world? What was that all about? "You surely are insane."_

 _He shook his head. "No, I am far from insane. And one day you will learn that what I did today. What I will do today…was the only right thing to do."_

 _"What will you do to me?" She whimpered. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she backed away even more, her back hitting the cold stone wall gently. There was no way to escape and she knew it. She could try climb out of the window and jump but she had on idea how far up she was. Besides, he would only need to take two steps to reach her and pull her back anyway._

 _He suddenly revealed a long piece of parchment. No, it looked like more than just a parchment. He saw her watching it curiously. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips again._

 _"This is an Elder Scroll."_

 _"And?"_

 _He unfolded it. She blinked as she was sure she saw little sparkles twinkling on the scroll. "Is that magic?"_

 _"It is a magical artifact, indeed. And important one. Come closer and take a look."_

 _She wasn't sure she should trust him but her curiosity had the upper hand at the moment and she took a few careful steps closer. From up close she could see the sparkles even better. She also saw strange signs and runes on the parchment._

 _"I don't understand." She whispered. Then looked at him again._

 _He reached out and touched her forehead with his index and middle finger. "Gein sul hi fen mindoraan."_

 _"Wh-what?" She breathed, staring at him._

 _"One day you will understand. Remember me." He whispered, his red hair and his amber eyes shimmering in the candle light._

 _Suddenly, the world around her began to spin. She cried out, trying to cling to the man's robes but he seemed to be out of reach. She squeezed her eyes shut, her body fell and fell. Through what felt like space and time. She opened her eyes as it felt like she slowed down. Fire was burning all around her, she shielded her eyes from the heat._

 _"I see you!"_

 _The voice was dark. Darker than anything she had ever heard. She looked around, trying to make out who was talking to her. She winced as a dark shadow passed over her, vanishing into the flames. The ground shook violently. And again, and again as if something big was approaching._

 _A scream stuck in her throat as she spotted them. Eyes as red as burning coals. Teeth as sharp as needles, and skin as black as the night._

 _"You won't ever stop me, Joor!"_

 _The beast opened its mouth, approaching her as she backed away. She screamed and took another step back, only to realize there was no ground behind her. She flailed her arms, screaming in terror as she fell again, off the top of the snowy mountain she had just stood upon. She squeezed her eyes shut again for what felt like an eternity._

 _Until her body hit the ground once more. She feared what she might see if she opened her eyes but she did. Slowly she sat up, feeling the soft moss and grass beneath her fingertips. She looked around, realizing she was in a forest. Near a river as she saw the sunlight dancing on the flowing water in the distance. Then, she looked down at herself and froze. She patted her legs, her arms, her breasts, her face and her hair. How could that be? How could she be grown up all of a sudden?_

* * *

"And that's why I am younger than him." She finished, looking at Galmar. "Ulfric aged naturally. While I was trapped in space and time for years it seemed before I ended up back in Skyrim."

Galmar stared at her. "Ulfric spoke about a dragon. Skin as black as the night. Eyes as red as burning coals."

She nodded. "I've seen him fly away from Helgen. I knew it was him. I knew it was the same dragon. He was trapped with me in the Elder scroll."

"So, is it true? What the people say? Are you the Dragonborn?"

Nelli shrugged and got up, pouring a new cup of tea for herself. "I don't know. I honestly don't know what's happening to me." She sipped from her drink. "But Shiloh and I were following the call of the Greybeards. Only they will be able to tell."

"What about Ulfric? I need to return to him with news of what had happened. He spoke of you ever since one of our soldiers returned with news of the woman with eyes like fire. It is you, Nelli. He misses you."

"I miss him too. I do. But before I return to him I need to know what my place in this world is. Why I had to go through all this. I never had the chance to say goodbye to my mother. I need to know why I was forced into the future. Tell him you met me, if you must. Just let him know I won't return too soon."

He nodded. "I will think about it. You should go. Leave me here, I will rest for a few more days. You shouldn't waste more time with me."

"We'll leave tomorrow. Now rest, Galmar." She got up and left the shack without another word.

Shiloh followed her. "Are you alright?"

Snow had started falling again. "I can't stop thinking about Odaring's last words to me."

"That you should remember him?"

"Yes…It sounded so sincere. As if I'd meet him again someday. And trust me, if I do…I'll give him hell."


End file.
